The invention relates to laboratory sample processing equipment. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus for multi-step processing of blood and other liquid samples.
In the purification of biological molecules, such as DNA, from larger volumes of sample, there is a need to reduce processing time while increasing systematic reliability. In current practice, eight sample tubes are held in racks, and the racks are moved from a heating station to a magnet station to a shaker station many times during the course of processing a sample. One alternative to this method is the use of a large centrifuge. However, the downsides of the centrifuge method are potential cross contamination from open tubes, loss of pellets in dumping tubes, and the general reliability and liquid handling problems associated with the automatic addition and removal of tubes from a centrifuge.